Black Voices
by NamineXRoxas1212
Summary: Six years have passed since Xehenort's defeat, and everyone wants nothing more than to put the struggle behind them. Sora and Kairi married, Aqua is piecing herself back together after so long in the Realm of Darkness, and Ventus is trying to learn how to be whole again. However, peace never lasts forever. NSFW 18 for sexually explicit content between Sora and Kairi.
1. chapter 1

Chapter 1—Sora and Kairi

Sora jumped into a sitting position, Kingdom Key in his hand with a flash. He was sweating and breathing hard. However, there was nothing but a darkened bedroom, slightly cluttered after just moving here. He sighed; he saved so much munny for this house, but the nightmares still plauged him. He looked over to his side to see Kairi looking up at him with tired, worried eyes. Sora could barely contain the love he had for her—whatever diety decided to make her so beautiful that no amount of darkness could touch her, Sora had no idea.

"Was it another nightmare, Sora?" She asked sleepily.

Sora could only nod. He hoped that her voice had silenced him.

She sat up slowly next to him, her hand laying on top of his gently. "Sora."

The dream was always the same. He was in the room that had the tall white chairs, his heart nearly lost to the darkness. Xehenort stood in front of him with a menacing grin, his hand beckoning him to come.

"Come, Sora!" he would always say. "Come to the fated place! The time has come for us to end this fight once and for all—"

At the last word Xehenort's face twisted horribly, his features becoming mangled. What stared back at Sora's face was… him, but not him. His eyes were yellow, his hair was pitch black. He was the embodiment of evil.

"Come, you coward!" he spoke, his voice dripping with the darkness Sora struggled so hard to quell. "Or are too afraid of the dark?"

Sora shuddered at the horrific memory. It was only the warmth of Kairi's body that calmed him. "I can't stand seeing you like this."

"I know, I just don't know what to do," he responded quickly. "We defeated Xehenort six years ago! I almost lost you so many times, not to mention Riku! If he's back—"

"Sora," Kairi said softly, almost like a whisper. "Calm down. Maybe we should go see Master Yen Sid in the morning. Maybe he could help us understand why your having these dreams; we can go together."

That bought a smile to his face. Going anywhere with Kairi made him happy, even under circumstances like this. Then a thought occurred to him. "Maybe Donald and Goofy will be there too!"

She giggled at his innocence. It was one of the first things that she fell in love with—well, that and some other things. What attracted her the most, however, was his heart, how it wouldn't sway when it came to his friends.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek, leaving Sora blushing. "Get some sleep."

A mischievous glint reached his eyes, obvious even in the darkness. "But I can't sleep now."

Kairi knew where this was going. "Sora, let me sleep at least—"

Too late; Sora's lips were already touching the base of her neck softly, a soft moan escaping from her throat. She held onto him, her right hand on the back of his head, the other wrapped around his back, almost as if by instinct. He was gentle with her, as if she was the most precious stone in all the worlds. Sora's arms held onto her tightly as he tortured her, his tongue dancing across the skin on her neck. One of his moved to her chest, squeezing softly yet firmly.

With what little resolve Sora was quickly taking away from her, she tried to rebel, pushing as hard as she could. "Sora," she moaned. "P-please, you have to stop."

He began to pull away. She knew it was hard for him, but he always managed to hold himself back if she asked. But her body had already begun to react to his touch; her entire body had heated up, and she was moist between her legs. A small whimpering noise escaped her lips before she could stop herself. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, tried anything to control herself.

Sora smiled at himself. Serves you right, he thought a bit spitefully. He had acted without thinking, teasing himself as much as his wife. The taste of Kairi's skin still lingered on his tongue. He wanted, longed for her, but he wouldn't force her into anything; if she says stop, he stops—no questions, no arguments.

He felt Kairi's hand rubbing the length of him over his pants, a small noise escaping him. "I thought you said no—"

Her lips were on his quickly, silencing him. Kairi lead Sora's own hand to her sleeping shorts, opening her legs slightly. He started to move his own hand, adding pressure to her sex. She moaned softly and deepened the kiss, her tongue dancing with his. She moved her hand underneath his pants quickly, her fingers closing around his length. She started to stroke him slowly, her soft skin running asking every inch of him.

Sora moved his hand underneath her shorts, sliding her fingers into her. No longer was she simply moist; she was wet. She disengaged the kiss to unleash the moan his fingers caused. Kairi's hips began to move on their own. Her body was heating up more and more as the moments passed.

"S-Sora," she managed to stammer, breaking the passionate kiss. "Please."

She didn't say anymore; she didn't have to. Sora climbed to his knees, slowly pulling her shorts down, throwing them to the side after taking them off. Sora could see her sex now, could see the wetness even in the darkness in the room. Kairi sat up, hooking her thumbs around Sora's waistband, pulling them down slightly before Sora adjusted himself to allow her to pull them down a bit more. As Sora was pulling them off, Kairi was feeling the muscles of his arms and abdomen, feeling how they tightened and relaxed as he moved.

Sora was over her only a second later, looking into her eyes, as if asking for silent confirmation. She kissed him in answer, looking him in the eyes, showing him every piece of love that she had for him.

Sora slowly moved into her, and she moaned at the thickness of him. She held onto him tightly as he entered her further and further, until finally no more would enter. He was deep, stretching her sex. She moaned in pleasure he caused.

He began to move, Kairi's moans reverberating throughout the room as he repeatedly penetrated her, sliding into and out of her wetness. Instincts took over the moment, Sora moving harder and rougher into her, Kairi's hips and moans reacting to his movement, his heat, him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, bringing him even deeper into her. Sweat was glistening on the couple, evidence of their passion clear on their bodies.

"Sora," she spoke between loud moans. "I-I'm gonna—"

"Me too," Sora answered.

Their movements became more erratic, their moans becoming more primal. Their climax together filled the entire house with their passion, their love. Kairi's body drank all of him hungrily, the heat reaching deeper and deeper into her.

After some time passed, they lay next to each, their arms wrapped around each other. They were drenched in sweat and breathing hard. Kairi nuzzled her head into Sora's chest silently with a small, tired smile. Sora placed his hand on the back of her head gently and closed his eyes, the memory of the nightmare gone from his mind.

He didn't dare sleep until he could hear Kairi's rhythmic breathing, the telltale sign that she was sleeping soundly. He hoped their visit to Yen Sid helped him understand the nightmare.

He hoped it was just nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2-- Riku and Terra

Chapter 2—Riku and Terra

Riku walked through the sands of Destiny Island, deep in thought like always under the stars. Six years had passed, but the scars he obtained in the battle against Xehenort still ached a bit. He sensed a presence, and automatically summoned The Way to Dawn.

"Relax," Terra's voice said from behind him. "You've gotta learn to calm down."

After a few steps, Terra stood side-by-side to Riku. The silver-haired boy looked out to the ocean, listening to the waves as the water moved. After about five minutes, Terra fell into the sand, looking up into the stars. Riku sat in the sand next to him, his mind still on other things.

Finally, Riku spoke. "So, how are you and Aqua doing?"

"Same old," Terra responded with a sigh. "She's still having the night terrors sometimes, but it's getting better. You never really recover after Xehenort possess you, you know?"

Riku didn't respond. Both men knew all too well how that felt; like being possessed by the Devil himself. Then a thought occurred to him. "Shouldn't you be there with her, then? Just in case."

"I left Ven with her. He knows how to contact me if anything happens."

That made Riku feel a little better. Riku had only been in the Realm of Darkness for a short time before he managed to escape with King Mickey. But Aqua had been there for over a decade, fighting the Heartless without rest. When Xehenort was defeated and they managed to get whatever piece of Xehenort that was inside of her out, Aqua was already losing her mind. Six years was a long time, however, and Aqua was slowly piecing herself back together. However dim, Aqua still had some light in her.

As for Ven, he's slept enough to last a lifetime. His fractured heart, through mostly Sora's efforts, had regained what it was missing. Riku wished that certain thing wasn't so dark, but beggers can't be choosers.

"So, what brings you here all of a sudden?" Riku asked.

Terra sat up at this looking straight into Riku green eyes. "I've been feeling…restless. I don't know why, but I sense something wrong. I wanted to invite you to see Master Yen Sid tomorrow, see if he can confirm my suspicion."

Riku nodded. "If anything is wrong, he would know something about it by now. I'll contact Mickey, Donald, and Goofy about the meeting and see if they can come."

Riku didn't want to say it, but he had been feeling anxious himself. He tried to hide his concern from the two lovers, but he couldn't deny it. Something was off, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

"Do you still think about her?" Terra asked.

Even though it was sudden, Riku didn't skip a beat. "More often than I should. I've always been a bit jealous of Sora; he wears his heart on his sleeve, and he's not afraid to show who he is. He's goofy, naïve, a little slow on the up-take. But even I have to admit that they were meant for each other."

"Would you ever change anything, if you had the chance?"

Riku didn't answer. He knew what his heart wanted him to say, but he couldn't bring himself to speak it.

Instead he laughed to himself. "You know, you always ask the hard questions."

He looked at Terra, who was looking intently back at him.

He summoned The Way to Dawn again I'm his hand. "I'm giving you to the count of three to get out of my head, Ansem."

The apparition simply smiled at him and vanished as if being blown away by the wind. Terra had been dead since the battle with Xehenort, struck down while trying to protect Riku.

It was good talking to you again, at least, he thought soberly. At least this confirmed his suspicion.

Somehow, by some miracle, Xehenort survived the battle for Kingdom Hearts six years ago. And now he's back.

Damn it all.


	3. Chapter 3-- Aqua

Author's Note: Sorry I took so long for the new chapter. I've been in the process of moving, so that's been getting in the way. i just wanted to put down some info about the story that might be important. Firstly, There will be more than a couple SoKai NSFW chapters, seeing as the journey they're about to go on will allow them to be together this time, maybe not at the beginning though. Secondly, I've found that a lot of fanfics--nothing against them, of course--has the female characters as kind of damsels in distress types. As for this story, you'll see just how strong everyone is, especially Aqua, who has to kind of pick up the pieces of herself. Lastly, the next few updates will be a bit erratic, but I'm hoping i can get a stable update schedule soon. With all that noise out of the way, i hope you all enjoy this installment of Black Voices!

Chapter 3—Aqua

She woke once again to silence and a dark room. The bare room left her lonely, but loneliness is something she had grown accustomed to. No, it wasn't the loneliness that bothered her most nights; it was the silence. Terra's loud snoring, at one point, was nothing short of obnoxious. Now, she would give anything to hear it again.

She yawned with a sad smile on her face. The memory of the one she loved tortured her, but it was the only comfort she had. He had a strong sense of justice and a strong heart. He was stoic, but easy to talk to whenever she needed advice.

Ven was too young to understand the feeling heartbreak… Or maybe he did, given his past, how his heart fragmented, and what was left found a place to heal, a then-young Sora's heart. It's been six years, but he's still learning how to be a whole being, able to sustain himself without anyone's help. Gen was like a little brother to the older two.

Aqua got to her feet and walked into the vast empty hallway of The Land of Departure. It was quiet now that Master Eraqus wasn't there. His death was a long time ago, but she still managed to think about Eraqus sometimes.

She moved into the kitchen without thinking. She noticed Ven sitting at the table, staring into nothing in particular. He turned the moment he felt her presence. "Were you always so quiet?"

"Only when I try to be," she answered. "What are you doing here by yourself?"

"Thinking about everything that happened to us," he answered after a moment. "How I wish we could turn back time to before it all happened."

She stared at Ven without realizing it. She knew him as a kid, a bit immature, but was honest about what was in his heart. She never knew he had times of deep thought like that, but she understood. For most kids, they matured over time, given the right guidence; Ven was a rare exception of maturity through heartache and pain. There were times when her fractured heart would swell with a mixture of pride and sadness when they spoke.

"What would you change if you could?" She asked, genuine curiosity taking over her thoughts.

After a moment, he answered. "That I was fast enough to save Terra," he started somberly. "He was like an older brother to me. I was really happy when you guys got together."

Aqua nodded in agreement. She would've happily died in his place to save him if it came down to it. Then again, it would've been Terra mourning her death instead, and Terra was reckless at the best of times. And she knew from experience that recklessness and sorrow did not mix well.

"How are you feeling, by the way?" Ven asked suddenly.

She couldn't answer immediately. She felt… empty. But she didn't know how to describe it without sounding like a Nobody. When put in those terms, she didn't know how to feel about anything anymore. She tried to ask her heart—

Nothing.

Puzzled, she closed her eyes and tried to reach deep. But there was nothing there to reach, nothing but a infinitely deep well of darkness and nothing.

What the hell, she thought to herself, trying to keep her face as calm as possible. Something was wrong. She always felt the ache of losing Terra, but now she felt nothing.

"Ven, I—"

Ventus was gone, replaced by a tall man with silver hair and a somewhat-regal aura about him. Aqua jumped out of her seat, Keyblade in hand as she backed away.

He merely smiled. "You feel nothing," he started in a deep voice. "Aqua, your plight led me here. You no longer have a heart of your own."

"What are you doing here, Xemnas," she replied, Keyblade pointed at him. "We defeated you!"

Xemnas laughed as if he heard a joke. "Did you, now? I wonder."

Aqua rushed forward, swinging her Keyblade with precision at Xemnas' throat. The moment it made contact, however, it shattered, shards of metal falling to the floor like rain on pavement. Xemnas hadn't moved a muscle, as if he knew that attacking wouldn't work.

"It seems even your Keyblade has betrayed you," Xemnas said. He sounded sorrowful, but Aqua knew better. "How can you use a Keyblade without a heart? In the end, even that magical sword denies your existence."

He stood from the chair he was sitting in and faced Aqua more fully. Aqua backed up until she hit the wall behind her. Nothing was making sense; her heart was there before, fragmented but present. Even when Xehenort made her a vessel, she always felt her heart there, deep in the darkness. Now , no matter how far she reached, she couldn't find it.

"However, I can give you purpose," Xemnas continued. "I can give you answers. And when we finally become whole again and accept the darkness, we shall go together."

She stood, her back against the wall. The darkness inside of her was begging her to take his offer. She felt… lost.

"I—"

"Aqua, no!"

To her left, a set of armor ran at Xemnas and attacked him, his Keyblade knocking him through the wall out of view. Aqua looked more closely at the armor. It looked almost like… No, that was impossible. She saw him fall that day, saw the blood he spilt. Nothing was going to—

"Don't let him win, damn it!" The armor spoke in Terra's voice. "I know you're stronger than that!"

She shook her head, her chest beginning to ache. "I saw you die! You can't be real!"

The armor stood for a moment, as if contemplating his next move. The armor placed a cold hand on her cheek. "… I'm as real as the day I first kissed you."

From the corner of her eye, Aqua could see Xemnas climbing through the hole. "Must you really he such a thorn in my side?" he asked as he stood firmly on his feet.

Terra walked in front of Aqua, taking a protective stance. "Aqua, you have to wake up. Go see Master Yen Sid as soon as you can, okay?"

"What the hell do you mean 'wake up'?"

She jumped to a sitting position on her bed. Her body was drenched in sweat, her sleeping clothes clinging to her. Her heartbeat was pounding in her chest, and she was afraid of what was happening to her. But she jumped out of bed, took a shower, changed clothes and hugged Ventus the moment she saw him, a smile on her face the entire.

Terra was fighting even now, even after death. She still felt the touch of his hand on her cheek, felt his love in her heart. He was alive, maybe now a different way. But she would accept this for now, it was more than enough.

"Must've been a good dream for once," Ventus observed after a moment.

"It really was," she replied. As happy as she was, she had to listen to Terra. "But there is something we have to do now because of it."

Ven didn't ask questions. He simply nodded and watched as she walked away, presumably to prepare for the journey. "Thanks, Terra," he said to himself. "I owe you one. I swear we'll bring you back."


	4. Chapter 4: Shadows

Chapter 4--Shadows

Kairi woke the next morning to find her husband still sleeping soundly next to her, his arms wrapped loosely around her. She could feel the muscles from years of practice enveloping her comfortably, but she knew couldn't stay in them. She was concerned with Sora and his nightmares, how they were affecting him. Still, she couldn't bring herself to wake him, especially when he looked so peaceful.

She managed to wiggle herself away from his grip and stand on her feet. Memories brought by her soreness caused her to blush, the heat rushing to her face. She had no idea what came into her—she was never normally that forward. She still felt like Sora cast a magic spell on her sometimes.

She walked silently toward the closet, picked out the best outfit for travelling—a rose-pink dress magically enhanced to resist injury that Aqua made for her some time ago. It saved her life in more than one occasion against Xehenort. For some reason, she felt she would need it now.

It's better to be cautious.

She moved toward the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the water heat up for a moment before stepping in. She let the water fall onto her body before washing up. She let her mind wonder to the past; how she fell in love with Sora, the adventures she had when she was in training, Riku—

Her chest felt heavy for a split second on the last thought. Riku confessed to Kairi first, after they returned to Destiny Islands from he and Sora's battle with Xemnas, Xehenort's Nobody. She was confused at the time, but after about a week, she realized she was trying to spare Riku's feelings. She loved Riku; she could rely on him, help her understand things when she couldn't. But she couldn't see him as more than a brother—she could love him, she could rely on him, but she couldn't see herself with him.

It was different for Sora. He was a goofball, always able to see the bright side of things. She couldn't really remember a time when he couldn't make her smile. And when it came down to it, Sora was the one who literally carried her heart back to her when she lost it, and killed himself and give it back to her, turning him into a Heartless. She knew in her heart then that she had falling in love with him.

She could rely on Riku—both of them really. She couldn't live without them in her life. But her heart wouldn't beat without Sora.

She turned off the shower after rinsing off and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body and drying her hair with another towel. She dried the rest of her body and got dressed before stepping out into the cold air, shivering a bit to the change in temperature. She moved back towards the bedroom to see Sora already dressed—he normally showered at night. He was in black, similar to what he was dressed in when she saw him in the Castle That Never Was. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at Keychains he collected over the course of his travels. She admitted that she was jealous at one point, but now she could see the beauty in her flowery Keyblade.

"Looking through memories?" She asked, sitting next to him.

"Not really," he answered, shaking his head his head at the Metal Chocobo Keychain. "I'm trying to see which I should take—I'm always pretty unprepared when it's time to fight. I want to make sure I'm ready this time."

She smiled at him, but she was despairing inside. Sora had his serious moments, but the look in his eye was too serious, like he was dreading the worst.

She held his hand and kissed him on his cheek. "Sora, I'm sure it's nothing horrible. We're just going to make sure."

She didn't believe that really—last time he had strange dreams like this, their island was sucked into the Realm of Darkness. Instead of voicing this, she grabbed a couple of Keychains and looked through them herself. "Which ones would you choose?"

"For you?"He asked. He continued as if he already knew the answer. "It depends on what you want to focus on."

She thought for a moment. She was originally only talking about this to cheer Sora up, but now she was genuinely interested. "I think I'm pretty well-rounded. Maybe something with a little more attack power would be nice."

He didn't hesitate, immediately grabbing what looked like a medallion with a lightning bolt across both sides. "Hero's Crest would be good. It won't affect you magic, but it'll increase your power. That one's kinda heavy though." He put it down and grabbed another, this one a black crown. "Oblivion maybe? It'll increase attack and magic, but not by much."

She summoned her Keyblade into her hand and took off the flower-shaped Keychain before attaching Oblivion. The blade changed with a small flash of light, changing into the black blade. It was slightly heavier than what she was used to, but she could feel the slight increase in her magic as she held it. She reattached her original Keychain and put Oblivion into her pocket.

It was then that she heard a crash in the direction of the kitchen. She looked at Sora wordlessly, standing quickly to her feet. Sora took the lead, Kingdom Key in hand, but not before grabbing all of the Keychains and jamming them into his pocket.

Before they reached the kitchen, they both saw a Shadow scurry across the floor. Without hesitation, the two rushed forward, both cutting the creature and ending its existence. The heart was released and floated into the air before disappearing.

They both really into the kitchen to see a small group of Shadows and Soldiers. The Soldiers were carrying glass plates, hoping around with them before throwing them to the ground.

"Oh, come on!" Kairi exclaimed. "I just bought those!"

This gained the Heartless' attention. Several of them attacked at once, but Kairi disposed of them quickly with a series of quick slashes. Before the other five could react, she cast a Thunder spell and dispersed of the rest.

"Jeez, Kairi," Sora said, standing as if he were in the middle of an attack himself. "Don't take all of them from me."

She smiled at him. "Gotta be faster than that."

Sora dropped his Keyblade to his side, looking around the kitchen. "Think that's the last them?"

Kairi nodded. "I think so."

Sora nodded in agreement. Then a thought occurred to him, almost as an afterthought. "Wait, if they're here, they can be all over the island!"

Kairi ran for the door, Sora following suit. She hoped Sora was wrong, but if he was, the rest of the island was in trouble.

Outside with Keyblade the in-hand, she saw the world she loved turned into a black abyss. Heartless we're out in droves, many breaking anything they could get their claws on. Kairi and Sora lunged forward, taking many of them out with single swings.

After a countless of amount of Heartless we're killed, Sora turned to Kairi with a nearly desperate expression. "How many are there!?"

Kairi destroyed another Soldier before answering. "I don't know! Do you think Riku is okay?"

Sora destroyed a Fat Bandit with a Blizzaga spell. "He's a Keyblade Master; I'm sure he's fine. We should try to find him, though."

Kairi nodded in agreement, though her heart started beating harder in fear at the thought. Riku took the rejection easy, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Still, she felt guilty. She managed to quell the feeling by launching a Firaga spell at a group of Blue Rhapsody. Ballads that happened to bounce a little too close to each other.

They both ran in the same direction, hoping their boats would still be there. It was the only place they could think of when it came.to Riku's location; The island where they all played as innocent youths. The place where all of this started.

Both Kairi and Sora knew what this meant deep down, though neither said a word for fear of it coming true.

A/N: Extremely sorry for the long wait! However, know that I am working on the next chapter as we speak-- er, read. Anyway, I sincerely hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Be sure to leave a review and a like, as well as some advice for the story. Love you all and keep the light alive!


	5. Chapter 5: Black Flame

Riku had already claimed the lives of at least twenty Heartless, all different shapes and sizes. They came out of nowhere, the creatures destroying everything in their paths. It seemed like no matter how many he destroyed, ten more replaced it.

I can't keep doing this, he thought as he destroyed another Heartless. He hoped the others were on their way by now, but he couldn't wait on them, not with these creatures everywhere. What was worse was that he was running low on magic, and he didn't have anymore Ether to replenish it. Meaning he would have to keep attacking until his clothes absorbed the energy to refill it.

Too many Heartless deaths later, Riku fell to his knee, too exhausted to move. His Keyblade became too heavy to lift. The countless Heartless that still remained encircled him, as if toying with the idea of finally stealing his heart. Riku recognized this darkness all too well, the all-encompassing despair he not only witnessed, but allowed to invade him. Even now, it was a constant struggle to control it, and he was in danger of releasing it. But he didn't know what would happen—he didn't want to lose himself to the darkness again.

"God, you're pathetic," a voice said next to him. "Some Keyblade Master you are!"

Riku looked up to see a tall man, head full of spiky, flame-colored hair. The Keyblade he held gave the visage of a swirling flame.

"Axel," Riku said, wanting to kick himself for sounding so tired. "Man, am I glad to see you "

"Man, how many times do I have to tell you; Axel is my Nobody name. The name's Lea; got it memorized?"

"Kairi calls you Axel, last I heard."

"Kairi is cuter than you—she gets a pass."

Riku smiled inwardly, standing up slowly. He was still exhausted, but he was too competitive to let Lea get the best of him. Before Riku could get into his fighting stance, however, he felt a hand his shoulder.

"Take a breather," he said with a smile. "I'll take care of this."

Riku dismissed his Keyblade, a hand on his side. His was curious; he saw very little of his skills during the battle six years ago.

Lea pointed his Keyblade high into the air, a smile on his face. The air started to heat up rapidly, as if the sun had fell from the sky and settled next to him. Riku had half a mind to cast a Blizzard spell just cool himself off a bit, but he held back the urge. Instead, he moved closer to Lea, away from the blast zone.

"Firaza!"

A giant cyclone of flame swirled around the duo, burning the surrounding Heartless to cinders. Through the fire, Riku could barely make out the released hearts floating into the air, unaffected by the heat. His skin felt as if it was melting off, and he fought the urge to scream in pain.

Mere seconds later, the conflagration slowly swirled away. The ground around them was glowing red, the result of extreme heat on sand. Riku still felt the pain from the spell, but he was stunned, something that was hard to achieve. More than the pain he felt, the very power it had was staggering.

Green light glowed over him, whatever pain he was feeling gone. He looked over at Lea, who was looking away at this point.

Riku released a small chuckle. "Thanks," he said. "You damn pyromaniac."

"Oops," Lea shrugged, dismissing his Keyblade. "Guess I over-did it."

That went without saying. Riku looked out over the horizon. The sky had turned into a menacing swirl of purple and black, the sun that was once there now gone. The seas that were calm just an hour or two ago now crashed and folded and cycloned, the water now becoming black. Riku knew what was happening, but things would play differently now.

In the distance, he could see a small boat moving masterfully against the torrential wind. He felt in his heart that it was his two best friends heading towards their old hangout, most likely looking for him. He looked at Lea, who smiled a bit to himself.

"Must be nice, having friends," he said.

Riku could see the sadness in his eyes. "You're still bitter about Isa?"

He didn't answer, and he didn't have to. Lea had fought his friend and came out the victor, but in the end he couldn't kill him. When Lea turned his back, Isa tried to strike him down, but Sora made it just in time to save him, taking his life in the process. Lea already had a small bit of animosity toward Sora because of Roxas, but Sora taking Isa's life in front of him deepened the hatred he held for him. Lea may be the only person in all the worlds that hated Sora.

Riku couldn't lie and say he didn't understand, but he wished Lea would understand that Sora had no choice. It was one of the reasons Lea was never around.

Some time later, Sora and Kairi we're climbing out of their boat, Keyblade in-hand. They both looked tired, the telltale sign that they had used too much magic, but were otherwise fine. Riku had to force himself not to look at Kairi too long, especially since her dress was a bit short.

"How'd you guys find me?" he asked instead, more to distract himself.

"We took a guess," Sora answered. It was then that he noticed Lea, looking away from the trio with an angry expression. "Lea—"

"Don't even, bastard," he said quickly.

Sora fell silent with a sad expression. Kairi spoke then. "Axel, don't you think you think you've held onto this long enough?"

"Ha," Lea laughed, though it was filled with malice. "That's easy for you to say—you still have your friends. But he took two of my best friends away from me!"

"And the fact that he didn't have a choice in either case hadn't crossed your mind?" Kari was nearly yelling at this point.

"Kairi," Sora started sadly. "It's okay. We need to protect the islands; we can talk about this later."

"There's nothing to talk about!" Lea was turning red with anger at this point. He turned away, opening a Corridor of Darkness. "The only reason I came was because the old man told me to tell you to come to the Mysterious Tower. Other than that, you can burn in Hell for all I care!"

Before they could protest, Lea was gone and the Corridor closed. Sora was close to tears, but Kairi and Riku were both livid. Riku, despite how he felt, decided to stay silent during the ordeal simply because he didn't know what he would've done to the former Nobody had he intervened, and he considered Lea a friend. However, he would've went through Hell for Sora.

He took deep breath and moved to place a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Don't worry about him," he started. "He'll come around when he's ready. Meanwhile, the darkness has spread too far for us to be any help."

He didn't want to say it, but he had to be logical. Their home was being sucked into the darkness again, and there was nothing they could do about it, at least not for now.

They both nodded, though neither liked the idea of leaving their home like this. Riku summoned his Keyblade and aimed at an empty space. A beam of light shot out from the tip and exploded, a portal of light swirling where it stopped.

"We should get going while we—"

Riku was tackled out of the way of a giant fist crashing into the ground. A Darkside stood tall above them as pieces of the island began breaking apart in large chunks and flying into the sky, where a black portal waited to suck them inside. Sora climbed to his feet, helping Riku as he did so.

"We need to go!" he yelled over the wind.

They sprinted towards the portal of light. Kairi and Riku ran through, turning to see Sora a small distance. The Darkside's fist collided with a loud crash just in front of the portal, stopping Sora in his tracks.

"Sora!" Kairi called. The portal began to close quickly.

"Get out of here!" Sora called back as the fist lifted into the air. It was too late for Sora to get to the portal now; it was far too small. "Riku, take care of her!"

Riku didn't answer back, simply held Kairi back as she tried to get to her husband, tears falling from her eyes as the portal closed, leaving his best friend to fight the giant creature alone.


	6. 6

Destiny Islands were sucked into the darkness just as the Darkside was defeated. The man in the cloak stood on the surface of the blackened ocean, watching the spectacle unfold.

How many times had he seen the same battle now? It felt like hundreds at this point, but he was more than willing to watch thousands more if it meant he could complete his objective. The boy, Sora, was sucked into the void, despite his struggle to avoid it.

The man smiled to himself. Already, this particular visit was showing promise.

This man, shrouded in darkness, is the Harbinger. And Sora will become number six.


	7. Chapter 7: Moments

Aqua and Ventus spent the better part of the day packing and preparing for their journey. After some time, Aqua left for the nearby market, leaving Ven to his thoughts. The smile on Aqua's face made his heart swell- she so rarely smiled nowadays.

"Do you really think it'll last?"

Ven grimaced. Vanitas' voice was as loud as ever, cutting through his thoughts.

"How stupid are you? We both know that good things are never going to last. I suggest you remember her current situation."

"How long are you going to keep talking?" Ven asked rhetorically. "It doesn't matter if it lasts or not; I'll take every moment I can."

"And when the moment ends?"

"Then I'll wait for the next moment. She deserves every happy moment. Until she can smile without the moments."

Vanitas fell silent, though Ven could've sworn he heard a scoff, to his satisfaction. Getting Vanitas to be silent for awhile wasn't easy, but it was well worth the occasional headache.

Suddenly, he couldn't wait to go on his journey. He smiled to himself, letting the feeling wash over him. Just for a little bit, he enjoyed this silent moment.


	8. Chapter 8: Darkworld

Sora woke up on the cold ground, his entire body sore. He didn't remember Darksides being so tough, but he made a mental note for next time.

He stood up slowly, the pain sucking the air from his lungs. He took a small potion from his pocket and forced himself to drink the bitter liquid. After a few seconds, however, the pain subsided.

Finally, Sora took in his surroundings. A singular, winding path stretched out in front of him and behind him for what seemed like forever. Other than that, there was nothing but darkness.

"Where am I?"

He moved forward, not entirely sure where he was going. He's been lost before, but he's never been _this_ lost. He tried to listen to his heart, but the only answer he received was a hard ache.

Kairi. He missed her already, but she was with Riku and she was safe. He found solace in that as he walked, wiping away a tear he hadn't noticed had fallen.

"A lost soul."

Sora turned quickly, resisting the urge to summon his Keyblade. "Who are you?"

"Who I am is of no consequence," the deep voice started. "The question you should be asking is why you're here, in Realm of Darkness?"

"The Realm of Darkness?" Sora asked. "Is that what this place is?"

"Were you expecting Wonderland?"

At this point, Sora would've preferred Wonderland, but he kept this thought to himself. "So, how do I get out of here?"

The figure seemed to think for a moment. "It matters little."

"Wait, what?"

"If things are like this now, then you won't be escaping."

Sora had every intention to argue with the man, but something, some indescribable force, stopped his words. His throat started to ache as it began to swell.

"That should keep you quiet for awhile-"

"That's enough!"

From Sora's left, a spinning Keyblade flew at the man, who jumped back with seemingly little effort. A cloaked figure with a slender frame walked past, seeming to glance in Sora's direction.

"You again?" The male figure spoke with an amused tone. "Why do you hinder me?"

"Because you are not meant to be here," the female-voiced figure said, grabbing the Keyblade from the ground.

The male figure made a sound, somewhere between a grunt and a small chuckle. "You are not a denizen of the dark, yet you dare to speak for it."

The woman stood silent, gripping the hilt of her Keyblade tightly.

The man made a sound full of annoyance. "Very well. Rest assured, however- we will meet again."

The man disappeared with a flash of light, leaving no evidence that he was ever there.

The girl turned to Sora now. "And now for you."

Whatever force that held Sora's tongue started to lift away. The girl lifted her hood, finally shoving her face for the first time. Sora's eyes widened as he realized who she was.

"No way."


	9. Chapter 9: Stars Between Us

Riku was still holding onto Kairi when they arrived in front of the Mysterious Tower. As the portal shrunk out of existence, Kairi's protests fell silent, the light that sparkled in her eyes gone.

Riku grit his teeth. He had no problem with her marriage to Sora; he even went out of his way to make sure everything was perfect on their little island. But there was one thing he could never approve of.

Everyone knew the legend of the Paupu Fruit- share it with someone you cared about, and it connected them for life.

No one knew what hall when you shared it twice, though. No one but him. But by the time he realized it, it was too late.

"Kairi-"

"I can't feel him," she said softly, her body shaking as more tears fell from her eyes. "I can't feel Sora."

There was a pain in his chest. He hated seeing any of his friends cry, ever since what happened in the Castle That Never Was, seeing Sora on his knees in front of him. He had seen Kairi cry too many times, too, when she was weaker and helpless. Sora was normally there to cheer her up though.

 _What would Sora do?_

"Don't worry about him, Kairi," he started. "That buffoon has all the luck in the world; he's probably back in Traverse Town with Leon and the others."

He was lying at this. If Sora wasn't in the Realm of Light, where she could feel him no matter how far apart they were, then he could only be in one other place. Memories began to swim in his mind of his time in the darkness, what he'd seen, what he'd experienced.

What he'd done.

He shook his head. He wasn't that same stupid kid anymore. There was only one other person other than Sora and Kairi that he would go through that torment for again, and she would've more than likely chased right after him.

"Let's get inside- we can figure out how to get to him with the others."

Kairi nodded and followed Riku into the front doors and up the stairs. Master Yen Sid's study was as it always was: Thick books on history and magic lined the walls on bookshelves, a desk and chair in the center with three differently-shaped windows behind, the view of the moon shining perfectly into one. Master Yen Sid himself was sitting in the chair, his eyes closed, a scowl on his face. When he opened his and saw Riku and Kairi standing at attention at the entrance, he simply rose his hand without saying a word.

"I see you both have arrived safely," he started, his deep voice resonating throughout the study. "While I am thankful for that, I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Master Yen Sid," Kairi spoke. Riku knew she was trying to sound strong, but he could still hear sadness in her voice. "What's going on? Why are all of the Heartless attacking like this?"

"That is best explained when everyone has arrived. And speaking of, it appears your trip is short a member."

Riku saw Kairi wince from the corner of his eye. He explained everything he could, how the heartless attacked the Islands, and how Sora was blocked while making their escape.

Yen Sid made a sound that sounded a bit like a grunt. "If everything you say is true, then the situation is undoubtedly becoming dire."

Riku expected as much, but he kept this thought to himself for Kairi's sake.

"However," Yen Sid began, "As his heart is attuned to the light, finding him should be a simple matter."

The old wizard opened his hands with a small grunt toward his bare desk. Some type of cloud-like substance swirled around the surface, until it nearly fell from the edge. An image of Sora, walking beside a cloaked figure along a beach that seemed all too familiar.

"The Shores Between?" Riku asked before he could stop himself. And who's that with him?"

"I do not know," Yed Sid answered, seeming a bit tired. "Whatever the case may be, getting Sora out of the Realm of Darkness must take priority."

"Master Yen Sid," Kairi interjected. "Does this have to do with Xehenort? Did he survive somehow?"

For a moment, the old magician said nothing, seeming to choose his words carefully.

"I can say with certainty, Kairi, the Xehenort's survival would be a blessing compared to this monster."


	10. Chapter 10: Promises

**A/N: Guess who's back!**

 **Sorry I've been gone for so long prior to the recent updates— I think it's been a little over a year. Either way, I'm a poopy-head for making everyone wait so long.**

 **Just letting you guys know that there have been some changes to the stories progression that I hope you'll enjoy. I'm hoping that the twist ending suprises you— then again, it's Kingdom Hearts, anything's possible lol.**

 **As always, please leave a comment, I accept all constructive criticism! You can even PM me with any questions that you may have about the story so far. Keep the light alive, my fellow Guardians!**

Sora couldn't hold himself back. Just as they reached the Shores Between, Sora hugged his lost friend tightly.

"Xion!" he exclaimed, finally letting her go after spinning her around. "I can't believe you're okay! Everyone really misses you!"

She tried, but she couldn't resist smiling to his enthusiasm. "I'm sorry-"

"Don't be!" Sora sat in the cold, dark sand, facing the black ocean. "Man, I can't wait to tell Riku-"

"Hold on, Sora," Xion interrupted quickly. "I can get you out of here, but I need you to promise that you won't tell anyone that I'm here."

Sora jumped to his feet, his eyes wide. "W-why not? Don't you want to come home?"

Xion paused. In the battle with Xehenort, Marluxia struck her down. She remembered, before her life was extinguished, Riku's pained yell as he immediately cut Marluxia clean in half.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the Realm of Darkness. But then, she would've given anything to go back, to hold her love again. But she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried.

"Xion?" Sora called, bringing her back from her thoughts.

"I can't go back, Sora. Not yet. Not until I find what I'm looking for."

"I don't understand-"

"Sora, that man from earlier is looking for something here- I'm the only one who can find it."

Sora started to argue, but he thought against it. He was sure Xion had her reasons for needing to stay, but to do it alone?

"I know what you're thinking, Sora."

Sora looked surprised for a moment. Was he that predictable?

"I appreciate it," she started, holding back the tears she had in her eyes. "But you can't help me."

She wanted to have him stay, or to have any company at all. She was more than lonely in this place. But what she needed was close, and she couldn't bring herself to make Sora stay.

After a moment, Sora spoke. "Okay. I mean, it's not really okay, but if you really need to do this alone, I won't tell anyone."

She nodded with a smile and opened a Corridor of Darkness. As he walked through, waving happily back to her, she couldn't help but release the tears she was holding for so long.


	11. Chapter 11: The Royal Court

"Thundaza!"

The magic spell fell from the sky with an explosion of electricity. For what felt like hours now, King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy fought against the horde of Heartless and Nobodies the spawned in Disney Castle. The Cornerstone of Light that had long protected the castle and the world as a whole was gone, destroyed by a Demon Tide. The civilians, the the help of Minnie, Daisy, and Axel- who arrived by coincidence- were evacuated to Traverse Town.

At least, what was left of them.

"Where are they all comin' from?" Goofy asked as he smashed his shield into a Wight Knight and threw it at a Dusk.

The others couldn't offer an answer. They were tired. Pain from their wounds made it hard to keep moving, and they had no items or magic to recover.

"We can't... keep... this up," Mickey said between harsh breaths, falling to his knees.

The enemies stopped, seeming to size up the Guardians. More and more were appearing, but none of them attacked.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

A man in a dark-colored cloak walked toward the trio, the horde splitting to make a path.

"Who are you?" Donald yelled, rushing to his king's side, his wand raised. Goofy ram to his friends, the pair flanking the still-recovering Mickey.

"Royal Magician Donald Duck," the man started. "Goofy, Captain of the Royal Knights. I commend you both- you fought valiantly. However-"

Magical chains shot from the man's sleeves, fast as lightning, wrapping around Donald and Goofy tightly. A Dark Corridor formed just behind them.

"You are no longer needed here."

In a split second, the pair were flung through the portal, closing immediately as they flew through.

"No!" Mickey yelled, climbing quickly to his feet. "Where did you send them!?"

"I simply sent them to their friend's side," the man answered with a deep chuckle. "I suggest you worry more about yourself, King."

As much as he hated it, Mickey had to admit his weakness. No matter how much he begged, he simply couldn't will his body to move- he couldn't even summon his Keyblade into his hand.

"Don't worry," the cloaked man began walking towards Mickey slowly, a bright flash I The shape of a key extending past his sleeve. "You'll see them all again soon enough."

As the light died down, Mickey's eyes widened. What the man held, he was far too familiar with.

For the first time in a long time, he was truly afraid.


	12. Chapter 12: This

Sora stepped through the Corridor to find himself in front of Yen Sid's tower. Before he had a chance to move, a wave of sadness and worry that didn't belong to him struck him painfully, weighing heavily on his heart. He took several deep breaths, trying to steady himself against the sudden onslaught of emotion.

"I'm coming, Kairi," he whispered. "Just wait for me."

Slowly, the emotions began to ebb away. He didn't notice the Corridor above him until the Knight and Magician landed on top of him.

"Oof!"

"Sora?" Goofy spoke, climbing to his feet. "How'd ya get there?"

Sora stood up, knocking Donald off of him.

"Hey!" Donald yelled.

"Hey guys!" Sora greeted, a smile on his face. He had to admit that he missed these two. They hadn't seen much of each other these past few months. "Wait, where's the King?"

The pair attempted to explain what happened at their home, making sure to mention the man in the cloak. They're worry for their King was more than apparent.

"So, the King's in trouble?" Sora asked after a few moments- most of which was spent discerning who was saying what. "We should let the others know—"

Just as he was turning, Kairi tackled him, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Oof!"

"Sora!" she started, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. "I thought I lost you!"

Looking into her eyes, he could tell that she had been crying. He kissed her and held her tightly. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"You were gone for so long," she whispered quietly into his ear. "I was so scared."

After a moment, he allowed himself to study her. She wore a black blouse, a white floral pattern falling intricately along the side and onto the matching skirt, which flared out enough to hide anything she were hiding underneath. One of her eyes were hidden beneath a lock of deep red hair, a stark contrast to her blue irises.

His heart skipped a beat. He had seen this beautiful woman wear many colors, but black was an interesting choice. She looked almost _too_ good.

He felt himself hardening, despite his best efforts. He was sure Kairi felt it too- her face turned a bright red, almost like a cherry.

Kairi moved to stand, giving him a bright smile as she did so.

*

Lea walked through the Corridor of Darkness into Yen Sid's study. The old mage looked sternly at him, but Lea has long accepted that this was simply his natural expression. Still, he stood at attention and waited respectfully.

"Have you completed your task?" Yen Sid after what seemed like a few minutes.

"Yeah," Lea started, relaxing a little. "And it's exactly like you thought."

Yen Sid only replied with a pensive sound that sounded a bit like a grunt. "It will begin soon, then."

"Pardon my asking, but do you have any idea what that guys wants?"

"The Harbinger is capable of manipulating hearts," he old man started, sounding a bit tired. "He will use his memories, and the emotions they invoke, to cause severe insecurities and doubt within the boy. Once the heart had enough cracks, he will rip his heart in two, separating his light and dark."

"Like what happened with Ventus and Vanitas?"

"They were a special case, but that is correct."

Lea crosses his arms and nodded. "So, what can we do about it? We can't just wait, can we?"

Yen Sid nodded. "Yes, that simply is not an option. However, there is a very powerful bond that is holding him together. The Harbinger would have to sever that bond first to cause any damage to him. At the very least, that gives us time."

Lea nodded again. "Alright, then I guess it's time to start looking."

"A moment, Lea."

Lea looked at the old mage. He seemed weaker somehow.

"I understand that you have some animosity toward Sora."

 _Here we go._ "Can you really blame me?"

"Not truly, no. But I would ask that you put your hatred to the side. Remember who Sora is and try to understand how felt doing what he did."

Lea clenched his fists at his side, turning away. "I've tried. I've tried to forgive him, tried to imagine his side. But all I can think of is Isa's eyes, how he remembered who he used to be right before his life flickered away. Just for a slight moment, he was the man I fell in love with all those years ago. Sora stole that away from me. I know he didn't want to, I know..."

He choked on the words, the tears falling from his eyes and drenching his cheeks. He made no move to wipe them away, though. He hated crying in front of anyone, but he knew he needed this. He needed to let this out.

After a few moments, he took a sharp breath, trying to alleviate the heaviness in his chest. "... I can trust him to fight with me, I know I can trust him with my life if it came down to it. But don't you dare ask me to be his friend."

He stepped into the Corridor he conjured without listening to see if the old man had anything else to say. If asked later, Lea would tell you that he regretted not turning back.


	13. Chapter 13: The Puppet

Xion ran away from what seemed like the tenth fight. She didn't have time to dispatch them, even if it was just a few Shadows.

She only stopped when she was a good distance away, breathing a bit harshly. She was in another cave system, this one more expansive than the six or seven she had thoroughly searched combined. Looking down at herself, she noticed her shoes had gained another hole, and her coat had become slightly more tattered.

 _Ugh,_ she thought to herself. She tried avoiding damaging her clothes as much as possible, but it was hard when everything was trying tear her apart.

She began to walk deeper into the cavern, willing her tired legs to move forward. She ran her hand against the cold walls, and looked at the mysterious jewels scattered throughout the stone that somehow glittered even with the lack of light. As she moved deeper, a slight pressure landed on her chest. Without realizing she began to sprint deeper, taking out any Heartless that spawned with one swing.

She was close. She was so close.

A smile spread across her lips and tears began to stream down her cheeks as she ran.

She didn't stop. She didn't stop even when a Darkside spawned in front of her. Even when she frantically cut down the giant, she kept her focus on the ever-growing pressure.

When she finally found her friends, protected by a barrier of light, holding each other's hands as they slept deeply, she fell to her knees in front of them, and allowed herself to cry as loudly as her throat would allow. She screamed and held her chest against the great flood of emotion that filled her heart.

Finally, her hellishly lonely journey had come to an end.

*

 **A/N: Okay, so this chapter is a bit on the shorter side, and I do apologize for that. However, I really wanted to do an update, mostly because it's been so long since I did so.**

 **While I'm here, I want to address something that's particularly important to me. In the last chapter, Lea basically revealed that he was in love with Isa. I want to make myself absolutely clear: I am a supporter of the LGBTQ community. I accept any comments, and I even like receiving constructive criticism in a private message if your advice is a little on the long side. But I'm asking that you don't leave any hateful comments or send hateful messages— that includes any racist or homophobic slurs. There's enough hate going on in the world, and my one wish is that it doesn't spread here. Thank you in advance for understanding, and sorry for the sudden seriousness.**


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